Oblique impacts cause particular risks for vehicle occupants. An oblique impact is one in which a vehicle strikes another object at an angle, e.g., at an angle of a longitudinal axis of the vehicle with respect to the object, e.g., the angle being approximately 15 degrees. When an oblique impact occurs at a front of a vehicle, a vehicle occupant may move at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. That is, when an oblique impact occurs, the vehicle occupant may be moved in a direction determined by the angle of impact, i.e., the occupant or at least the occupant's head and/or upper body, may be moved in a direction at the angle to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle of the oblique impact. Accordingly, vehicle safety mechanisms (e.g., a restraint system) that protect an occupant in the case of a head-on collision may provide less or inadequate protection in the case of an oblique impact.
For example, a driver airbag (DAB), e.g., deployed from a vehicle steering wheel, may provide inadequate protection for the driver upon an oblique impact. In a non-oblique impact, e.g., a head-on collision, a DAB, upon being deployed, may be impacted by the driver's head in or near a center of the airbag, whereby the airbag will generally be supported by the vehicle steering wheel directly. However, in the case of an oblique impact, the driver's head may strike the airbag (e.g., the DAB) at a less than 90 degree angle causing the head to rotate outward and slip off the airbag completely. In this case, the steering wheel will provide inadequate support for the airbag, and the driver is more likely to suffer a head injury and/or a suffered head injury may be more severe.